I Forgive Their Mother

One family grew up in the church. They had a fine house, great kids, and good jobs. But the wife had a mental problem. She would steal periodically from the family and gamble the money away. They tried to get her help. She went to counselors, doctors, and pastors but nothing permanently worked.

Can you imagine your mate stealing from you, hocking stuff form the house, or emptying the checking account and then lying about it so that she could gamble. Every time she stole from her husband and ruined his future, he took her back. Even when she gave up on herself and tried to commit suicide, he refused to give up on her.

Someone once asked the husband why he didn’t just get a divorce, but he would not, no matter how much he friends and family tried to get him to do so. When asked why he gave a simple, courageous answer. "She is a good mother most of the time, and my children need her. But more than that, they need to know the love of their God. How can they know of a Father in heaven who forgives them if their own father won't forgive their own mother?"

You see, this restoration thing is a radical way to think. It requires a kind of humility foreign to anyone aside from the power of the Holy Spirit. But when you and I use that faith that God has given us, amazing things can happen.